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Submitted by Gina Pannunzio on behalf of the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup

When contaminant levels, such as mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are high in fish, consumption advisories (found in the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks Guide to Eating Fish), may recommend that people and sensitive populations (e.g., children, pregnant women) limit or avoid eating certain sizes and species of fish caught in specific areas of the Detroit River. Researchers from the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Windsor have been conducting several studies to identify whether consumption advisories for the Remedial Action Plan (RAP) indicator species (walleye, brown bullhead, and smallmouth bass for sensitive populations) are similar to other non-Area of Concern Great Lakes sites.

To provide another line of evidence for the assessment of this beneficial use, the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup (DRCC) continued with their fish consumption survey (launched in 2019) to collect data on what people catch and eat from the Detroit River. So far, majority of anglers (67%) captured in the survey eat the fish they catch from the river (4 to 8 oz of fish per meal about 1 to 4 times per month, on average). The majority of anglers (69%) prefer to pan fry the fish they catch and the most common fish consumed from the Detroit River according to the survey are walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, and white perch.

Do you consume fish from the Detroit River or know someone who does? Take the survey! This information is being gathered by the Detroit River Remedial Action Plan. The RAP is a partnership between government, industry, scientists, environmental organizations, and dedicated citizens that work together to protect and restore the Detroit River ecosystem. The goal of the DRCC is to remove the Detroit River from the list of Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern.

Take the survey: http://detroitriver.ca/fishsurvey/

Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks Eat Safe Fish guide: https://www.ontario.ca/page/eating-ontario-fish-2017-18

Below is an notice from Lisa Kolody, Executive Director of the WindsorEssex Community Foundation. The letter describes the details of an endowment fund that will be used to continually support our Club and our programs, including the Junior Egrets.

By Jennifer Nantais

Dozens of volunteers from the Windsor and Essex County area have signed on to become butterfly rangers with the David Suzuki Foundation, joining over 1,000 others across Canada in an effort to help bring back the pollinators!

Populations of wild pollinators such as butterflies and bees face many threats, including climate change, habitat loss and alteration, and widespread pesticide use. The Butterflyway Project aims to help increase native vegetation cover to ensure available food sources for pollinators and their larvae, and to spread the message that wild pollinators are crucial to the survival of plants, wildlife, and humans.

Current and future goals include planting pollinator gardens and native vegetation on private and public land as well as sharing knowledge, support, resources, and plants with others who are willing to help return some of our urban landscape to pollinator habitat.

You can join the Windsor/Essex Butterflyway Facebook group to share your garden photos, ask for advice, and help with tricky plant and insect identification questions. With over 50 past and present Butterfly Rangers in this group, there is always someone to aid and encourage your efforts to restore native plants and create a sustainable future for pollinators in our community.

Stay tuned for future projects and events, and visit davidsuzuki.org to find out how you can get involved in future Butterflyway campaigns and help restore and protect nature in Canada and around the world